Combined chair and table



April 10, 1956 A, M. TUBES ET AL COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1955 0 05 mam fig W71 Ma 2 00 a Z M Z 40 a z A: T 6 M h. 1111 re Eii iwvlllr I l I: I 1L llll I v f w w TTJ I i u n B L ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A M. TUBBS ETAL COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE A ril 10, 1956 Filed April 19, 1955 INVENTOR$ ALFRED M. 70555 EDI V450 ,Q. LEO/V420 ATTORNEYS April 10, 1956 A. M. TUBBS T AL 2,741,300

COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Filed April 19, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 V /Z l;3 76.9 \.\/l/////////// r- I JNVENTORS ALFZED M. 7055s I 35 BY EDWARD E.0/VAD L ATTORNEYS April 10, 1956 A. M. TUBBS ET COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 19, 1955 A INVENTORS 7250 M. 70555 F G. /2 BY EBB/A60 ZLEOA/AED v man/won,

ATTQZIVEYS United States Patent COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Alfred M. Tnbbs, Troy, Pa., and Edward R. Leonard,

Conklin, N. Y.

Application April 19, 1955, Serial No. 502,338

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-123) The present invention relates to chairs, davenports, and the like, and in particular to a chair or davenport combined with a foldable table top swingable from a position within the structure or davenport to a position of use adjacent to an arm or portion of the davenport or chair.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a chair with a table top swingable from a position wholly concealed within the structure of the chair to a position of use adjacent to an arm of the chair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair structure having a table top concealed within a compartment in the side of the chair and made available by a system of guideways and counterweights so that it would swing to a position adjacent the arm of the chair with little effort.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a chair having a compartment in the side in which is a table top swingable from a position within the com partrnent to a position adjacent to the arm of the chair, and one having a removable plastic tray inset in the top.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a first embodiment of an armchair constructed according to the present in vention, showing the tray or table top in extended use position,

Figure 2 is a front view in cross-section on line 2-2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a vertical view partially in cross-section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, V

Figure 4 is a front view partially in cross-section showing the table top or tray in retracted position,

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged detailed view of the spring latch of the present invention, showing the action of the latch in dotted lines,

Figure 6 is a partial end view, partly in cross-section on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a side view on line 7-7 of Figure 4,

Figure 8 is a vertical view on line 8-8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a detailed view in cross-section on line 9-9 of Figure 7,

Figure 10 is a side view of the arm of the chair constructed according to the present invention showing the tray or table top in closed position,

Figure 11 is a view, partially in cross-section of a second embodiment of the invention,

Figure 12 is a vertical view on line 12-12 of Figure 11, and

Figure 13 is a side view on line 13-13 of Figure 11.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the present invention comprises a chair 10 having in one side under the arm .11 a compartment 12 in which is disposed a tray or table top 13. The tray or table top 13 is disposed on edge in one position and completely closes the compartment 12 when in the on edge position.

Within the compartment formed in the chair are a pair of vertically extending guideways 14 and 15, disposed in spaced relation with respect to each other, one on each side of the opening into the compartment. A pair of slide elements 16 and 17 are disposed upon the guideways 14 15, respectively, for upwardly and downwardly movement, one of them being pivotally connected to one end of the table top 13 and the other being pivotally connected to the other end of the table top 13.

As will be seen in Figures 2 and 4, the table top 13 is movable from the on edge position, closing the compartment, to the horizontally disposed position fully out of the compartment and adjacent the top end of the latter.

A pair of flanges 18 and 19 project from the bight of each of the slide elements 16 and 17 in parallel spaced relation between which is supported the U-shaped bracket 26 which supports the table top 13.

A bolt 21 extends through the flanges 18 and 19 and the tJ-shaped bracket 20 to support the table top 13 for movement with the sliding elements upwardly and downwardly as well as being movable about a horizontal axis from the horizontal position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 to the dotted line position indicated by the reference numeral 13 in that figure.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, a latch is provided and embodies a strip 22 folded over at one end to receive the one end of a spring strip 23, the other end of which extends between the flanges 18 and 1? and abuts the sliding element 16. The other end of the strip 22 is received within the slot 24 formed in the guideway 14 to retain the table top 13 at its uppermost position adjacent to the upper end of the compartment opening.

A wire loop 25 has its lower portion surrounding the strip 22. When the table top 13 is lifted to the position indicated in the dotted lines in Figure 5, the wire loop 25 will lift the strip 22 so that its end no longer engages in the slot 24 in the vertically extending guideway 14, permitting the slide element 16 to slide down the guideway to its former position, as shown in Figure 4.

A second U-shaped bracket 26 overlies the free edges of the flanges 18 and 19 and forms a stop for the end of the table top 13 in its down position.

A pair of counterweight slides 27, 28 are positioned one on each side of the opening into the compartment and within the opening in each of which is slidable a counterweight 29, attached to one end of the cables 30, which, in turn, are attached by the other ends to the respective slide elements 16 and 17.

The counterweight 29 within the counterweight slide 27 is attached by the flexible cable 30 to the slide element 16 and by the flexible cable 30 to the slide element 17. The cables 39 and 39' are joined at the point indicated by the reference numeral 31 and the cable holding the counterweight which slides within the counterweight slide 28 is similarly attached to each of the slide elements 16 and 17 in the same manner.

Suitable pulleys 32 are provided above the opening into the compartment and carry their respective cables, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The table top 13 is preferably formed with a removable plastic tray 33 held Within the frame of the table top by means of a resilient gasket 34. The bottom of the table top 13 is provided with a fabric covering 35 identical with the covering of the chair 10 so that when the table top is withdrawn into the compartment and is in its on edge position, as seen in Figure 10, it will be relatively unnoticeable and the appearance of the side of the chair will be that of a conventional chair.

As shown in dotted lines and indicated by the reference numeral 36 in Figure 10, the framework of the chair is srmneoo formed with a recess filled with sponge rubber or other resilient material and covered with the outside fabric-of the chair to provide a handhold by means of which the fingers may grasp the upper 'end of the table to swing it outwardly irom the compartment before pulling "it upward to its horizontal in use, position. The, counter weights, 29, flexible cables 30 and '30, ."andthe pulleys 32 form a hoisting means by means 'of'whic'h thetahl'e *top is liftedhodil'y'from the'upright on edge position closing the opening into therompartnteut "to a horizontal position fully'exterior'ofithe compartment adjacent the upper end thereof. 7 I

in Figures 4 'to 7, inclusive, a flexible and ffoldabl curtain'is shown, the =upper end of which isprovided with aicurtain rod 38ior holdingthe curtain across the opening into the compartment wheneverthe table top is'in the horizontal in use position, moving with the table top from the position within the compartment to a position closingthe opening into the .compartment whenever the table top ismovedtto'its'horizontal in use position.

A second curtain rod '39 secured-to thelower end of the curtain 37 keeps the curtain in taut condition concealing the compartment opening, as shown in Figure 2.

In Figures 'll to I3, inclusive, another embodiment of the invention is shown, with the table .top 40 pivotally I supported between the pair of s'ide'brackets 41 and 42,

which slide-on the upright guideways 43 and 44, respectively. Rack teeth 45 formedin-theguideways 43.and 44 are engagedby the gears 46 and 47 fixedly secured to the shaft 48.510 that the table topistmaintained in a level condition and may be drawn upwardly from .a nested position .(not shown) within the compartment of the chair 49. .A collar 50 on the shaft 48 secures one end of a coilspring 51, the other end of the spring beingsecured torthetbracket 42. e r r .In use, the tabletop 40 is tipped upwardly to release the end of the latch strip '52 from itslatching notch in eachof the .guideways 43tand 44 and then-the table top is pushed downwardly into the compartment windingup the spring 51. When the table top is next raised, the uncoiling vof the spring helps to raise the table to its inuse position shown-in Figure 11.

A similarly arranged flexiblerand foldable1curtain 37 is attached to the'table top-brackets for closing the openingin the side of the chair when the table t topis -in.its

raised position.

What is claimedis: I

'1. A combination with a chairihaving a'compartmentin one side thereof, attabletop disposed inupright position andtctosing said-compartment, hoisting :means connecting said table top to said cornpartmentfor bodily moving said tabletop .as a .unit from the .upright'position into a horizontal position wholly exterior :ofzsaid compartment adjacent the .upper .end thereof, :a curtain normally in folded condition positioned in said compartment and connected to :saidtable top for'movement therewith, said 7 position.

--m0ve1nent of said table 40p to said-horizontal position and returning to the folded aeondition upon execution of the movement of said table top to said upright position.

2. A combined chair and table comprising a chair having a compartment in one side thereof, a table top disposed in upright position andtclosing said compartment, a pair of vertically extending guideways disposed in spaced relation within :said rcompartment, (a slide element carried on each of saidguideways for upwardlyand downwardlymovements, 'said iltements beingpivotally connected to the lower end of said table top, hoisting means connectingisaid slide elements .to said'compartmentfor hodily moving said table top asla unit from the upright position into the horizontal-position"wholly'exterior of the compartmeut adjacent the upper end thereof, and a curtain normally in folded condition positioned in said compartment and connectedtosaid table top for movement therewith, said curtain closing the compartment upon execution ofthe movement at said table top to said horizontal position and returning'to the "folded condition upon execution 'of'the movement of said table top 'to said upright 3.:A combined .chair and table compris'ingia chair having a compartment 'in one side thereof, a table top disposed in upright position and closing said compartment; a pair of vertically extending guideways disposed in spaced relation within said compartment, a slide elementtcarried on each ofsaid guidewaysfor upwardly and downwardly movements, said elements being pivotally connected .to the lower end of said table top, hoisting means connecting said slide elements'to'said compartment for bodilymoving said table top as a unit from the upright position into thehorizontal position Wholly lexterior of the compartmentadjaceut the upper end thereof, a curtain normally in folded condition positioned in said compartment and connected'to-sa'id table -'top for movement therewith, said curtain closing the "compartment up'omexecu'tion of=the movementof saidtabletop to "said horizontal position and returning *to 'the folded condition upon execution at the '-movementof said tabletop to 'said upright position, and latch means carriedbyeach-o'f said Slide elements -operatively =engageable with "an adjacent one of said guideways for retainingsa'id table top in the horizontal-*positionrof use.

References Cited-in the file of this patent .UNITEDSTATES PATENTS '2,'6I9,'395 Kent ZNov. 25, 1952 

